CONTROLS Synonyms: 196 Similar and Opposite Words

controls 1 of 2

noun

plural of control

as in controllers

a mechanism for adjusting the operation of a device, machine, or system the controls for the player are well marked

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as in hands

the ability to direct the course of something after the tail fell off, the plane went out of the pilot's control firefighters keeping control of the blaze

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as in operations

the act or activity of looking after and making decisions about something control of manufacturing operations was given to a new manager with fresh ideas

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as in powers

the right or means to command or control others teachers are responsible for the students under their control

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controls

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of control

as in regulates

to keep from exceeding a desirable degree or level (as of expression) you must learn to control your temper

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as in contains

to gain emotional or mental control of he controlled himself only with the greatest difficulty in the face of his opponent's insulting remarks

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as in rules

to exercise authority or power over circumstances often control the choices we make in life

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as in operates

to look after and make decisions about during the period that she controlled the company it was highly profitable

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of controls

Noun

China is considering export controls that could check the global spread of its AI models and chips, as Beijing increases oversight of its burgeoning tech sector. — Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 18 Oct. 2026 Untreated cotton samples were placed in those same locations as controls. — New Atlas, 18 Oct. 2026 Instead of flying the drone remotely with individual controls, the F-22 pilot sent high-level tactical instructions that the drone’s onboard autonomy software interpreted and executed. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026 Under State Department policy, the country is subject to an arms embargo and export controls on purchases for the police. — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 17 Oct. 2026 Depending on your Galaxy model and Gallery version, the exact location of the tagging controls may vary. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2026 The overall look suggests a fuel canister, while physical features such as the bump guards that surround the front-panel buttons and the flip-up cover over the reset button recall fighter-jet controls. — Thomas Soderstrom, PC Magazine, 10 Oct. 2026 Arab-Israeli cooperation was impressive, but deeper diplomatic ties might have prevented the Omani co-pilot from being behind the controls. — Editorial Board, Washington Post, 9 Oct. 2026 The company’s security controls technically worked, as the agent faithfully carried out the fraudster’s instructions. — Caryn Seidman Becker, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2026

Verb

But physicists have long suspected that at a subatomic level, there is a something that inherently controls how fast these changes can occur. — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 20 Oct. 2026 In fact, as Darman tutored me, the staff secretary sees and controls all information that goes to the President. — Bob Woodward, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026 How the brain controls testosterone Testosterone production starts in the head, not the body. — Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 19 Oct. 2026 Hal’s power ring controls the damage, but the mystery remains. — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 19 Oct. 2026 The question confronting Israel and its international partners is not simply whether money should flow into Gaza, but also who controls it—and whether the next arrangement will avoid the failures of the last. — Eric Cortellessa, Time, 18 Oct. 2026 Early detection remains the single largest factor an owner controls. — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 16 Oct. 2026 The bassist and singer underwent an aortic valve replacement, which are undertaken to treat one of the valves that controls blood flow to the heart when damaged or diseased. — Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 16 Oct. 2026 There is also a vast telecommunications network that guides and controls drone systems. — Gerard Toal, The Conversation, 16 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for controls

Noun

The team plans to investigate additional vulnerabilities involving robot controllers and perception systems, including situations that could cause legged robots to fall.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 21 Oct. 2026
Japanese flight controllers want to avoid powdery soil and rough terrain when the mothership, a four-legged stationary lander, descends to the surface to gather samples in late 2028 or 2029.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of controllers

Noun

The video shows four deputies running after Garza along Interstate 10 in Palm Springs, with Garza facing the deputies several times while holding an object in his hands.

— Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026
Alaska’s bid for statehood, in the late nineteen-fifties, was in part a matter of keeping the hands of Seattle businessmen off local salmon stocks.

— Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of hands

Noun

Serving as president since 2024—just months after the team was first created—Smith has helped build the franchise from the ground up, overseeing everything from its business operations to the fan experience.

— Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026
Rescue operations were complicated, with police firing tear gas at people who had begun looting neighboring shops, as officers sought to clear the area and provide access to emergency response teams.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of operations

Noun

DeepSeek's products for federal civilian agencies, highlighting friction in the two AI powers’ heated technology race.

— ABC News, ABC News, 20 Oct. 2026
Solving the problem on the international level would be difficult, as international bodies have no powers to enforce compliance.

— Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of powers

Verb

Doctors point to how the body regulates its own temperature at night, and how a cozy pair of socks can nudge that process along.

— Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Oct. 2026
Every few years, the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile, which regulates the sport, makes the teams redesign their cars.

— Sam Knight, New Yorker, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of regulates

Verb

The Chiefs challenged a catch by the Chargers’ Oronde Gadsden in the fourth quarter that CBS Sports rules analyst Gene Steratore said was out of bounds.

— Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 19 Oct. 2026
For example, if the court rules that religious organizations have a constitutional right to opt out of state antidiscrimination rules while receiving public funds, that principle may not stop at LGBTQ+ rights.

— Preston Green III, The Conversation, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of rules

Verb

Beyond rocket production, Blue Origin operates facilities across Cocoa, Melbourne, Orlando, and Titusville.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026
Djrum is the rare DJ who operates almost entirely outside the world of genre; his sets swing from breakcore to IDM, jungle to techno, garage to field recordings to—well—whatever, really, depending on mood.

— Ben Cardew, Pitchfork, 17 Oct. 2026